Arsenal: Ten men, eleven men, twelve men, who gives a s***?
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal didn’t just lose against Leicester City, they were completely buried like a bunch of feeble infants. And it had little to do with the red card.
After Crystal Palace, I said that Arsenal had had their upset. They were going to bounce back against Wolverhampton. I couldn’t have been more wrong. They were utterly embarrassed against the Wolves.
After Wolves, I said that Arsenal had had their extra upset. They were going to bounce back against Leicester City. I couldn’t have been more wrong. They were neutered against Leicester City.
Which brings Watford back into the conversation as well. Remember how we clung on for dear life and somehow scraped out a 1-0 win, despite being up a man? We were still outmatched by the hosts, even though we had an extra guy on the pitch.
Simply pathetic. Absolutely and positively vile.
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When Ainsley Maitland-Niles was sent off against Leicester City for two boneheaded challenges in the span of half an hour, you might have groaned and thrown the match to the vultures. But guess what? Whether he had been sent off or not, the Gunners were losing that match. No question about it. They had been completely outdone for the first 36 minutes before Maitland-Niles had been sent off too.
And the final two goals that completed the capitulation? They had nothing to do with the missing guy and everything to do with a bunch of players who just didn’t want it.
Had there been twelve men on the pitch for the Gunners, guess what? They’d still have lost. Because again, this wasn’t a battle of bodies. It was a battle of minds and our beloved club is so feeble in the mind that they couldn’t have come back from this match with an extra man because they were so clearly outmatched from the off.
I’m always optimistic. Always. Those of you that come back to Pain in the Arsenal know that I have never predicted a loss for this club (which is why I never bet on matches) and I will always see the bright side. But what’s the bright side to this match? There isn’t one. We don’t want it. We’ve sold our lot in the Prem and are hoping to skirt in via the Europa League.
Good luck in this summer transfer window. You can’t buy a new mindset with money. That comes from a deeper place and I don’t know where that place is anymore.